Although the Packers finished the season with a 10–6 record and made the playoffs, their offense struggled throughout the entire season after Jordy Nelson suffered a torn ACL in the preseason.[2] The team started the season 6–0, but went 4–6 in their next 10 games. Second year wide receiver Davante Adams struggled throughout the season, leading for calls to give snaps to Jeff Janis.[3][4] The offense finished the season 23rd in yards, their worst since Lindy Infante’s final season.[5]
^ abGreen Bay finished ahead of Seattle based on head-to-head victory.
^ abcdSt. Louis and Detroit finished ahead of Philadelphia and New Orleans based on conference record. St. Louis finished ahead of Detroit based on head-to-head victory. Detroit finished ahead of Philadelphia and New Orleans based on head-to-head sweep, while Philadelphia finished ahead of New Orleans based on head-to-head victory.
^ abcThe New York Giants and Chicago each finished ahead of Tampa Bay based on head-to-head victory, while the Giants finished ahead of Chicago based on conference record.
^When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest-ranked remaining team from each division.
The Packers opened their season against their famed arch-rival, the Bears. The Bears, behind the strong running of Matt Forte, had the early lead against the Packers, but the Packers were able to gain the advantage in the second half behind Aaron Rodgers' three touchdown passes, two of which were to James Jones, who had been cut by the New York Giants just a week prior. The Packers clinched the win with a Clay Matthews interception, followed by an Eddie Lacy touchdown run, giving the Packers their tenth win over the Bears in the rivals' 12 most recent games.
Week 2: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Week Two: Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers – Game summary
The Packers' home opener featured a rematch of the 2014 NFC Championship Game between the Packers and the Seattle Seahawks, who had won in their previous three meetings with the Packers, all of them in Seattle. The Packers got the early 13–3 lead, helped by James Jones' 3rd touchdown reception in only two games, but the Seahawks were able to rally back on two Russell Wilson touchdown passes, giving Seattle a 17–13 lead in the third quarter. The Packers then scored 14 unanswered points, aided by two Seahawks turnovers and shut down the Seahawks offense, holding their star running back, Marshawn Lynch, to only 42 yards rushing with a 2.7 yards per carry average. The Packers won 27–17, building up a 2–0 record and adding to a ten-game winning streak at Lambeau Field.
Week 3: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Week Three: Kansas City Chiefs at Green Bay Packers – Game summary
The Chiefs came in as one of only two teams in the NFL, the other being the Houston Texans, who have never lost at Lambeau Field (until Week 13 of the 2016 NFL season.) The Packers dominated the Chiefs for most of the game, with Aaron Rodgers throwing five touchdown passes, though the Chiefs managed to outscore the Packers 21–14 in the second half. The Packers' 38–28 victory ended the Chiefs' being undefeated at Lambeau and extended the Packers' own home winning streak to eleven games.
Week 4: at San Francisco 49ers
Week Four: Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
With the win, the Packers improved to 4–0.[25] The Packers not only got their first win over the 49ers since 2010, but it was also the Packers' first victory over Colin Kaepernick.
Week 5: vs. St. Louis Rams
Week Five: St. Louis Rams at Green Bay Packers – Game summary
Aaron Rodgers threw his first interception at home since 2012, which was picked off by James Laurinaitis.[26] The Packers' defense intercepted St. Louis quarterback Nick Foles four times, one of them returned for a touchdown by Quinten Rollins for 45 yards.
The Packers went to 5–0 for the first time since 2011.
Week 6: vs. San Diego Chargers
Week Six: San Diego Chargers at Green Bay Packers – Game summary
The Packers wore new throwback uniforms, replicas of their uniforms from the 1940s, for their game against the Chargers.
The Packers took another early lead, helped by James Starks' two touchdown runs, but the Chargers came back, with Philip Rivers hitting key passes to Keenan Allen. The two teams traded points in the second half, with the Chargers able to keep pace with the Packers. In the last play of the game, Packers rookie cornerback Damarious Randall has deflected what could have been a game-tying touchdown pass from San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers.
With the win, the Packers entered their bye week at 6–0. It is also the second time the Packers started 6–0 after the 2011 season.
The Packers flew to Denver for a duel with Peyton Manning and the undefeated Denver Broncos. The Broncos wore their alternate blue uniforms with white pants as worn in Super Bowl XXXII.
Packers cornerbacks Sam Shields and rookie cornerback Quinten Rollins suffered a shoulder injury in the game and their returns were questionable.[27]
The Broncos took the lead early in the first quarter when Ronnie Hillman scored a 1-yard touchdown.
In the second quarter, Hillman scored another touchdown and the Broncos led 14–0. The Broncos lead became 17–0 when Brandon McManus made a 50-yard field goal. Von Miller was injured during the second quarter. The Packers struck back when Eddie Lacy scored on a 2-yard touchdown run. They trailed 7–17 at halftime.
In the third quarter, the Packers cut Denver's lead to seven when Mason Crosby made a 56-yard field goal. Denver extended their lead to 24–10 when C. J. Anderson made a 28-yard run.
The Packers defense finally recorded an interception when Damarious Randall picked off Peyton Manning. In this game, the Broncos held Rodgers to 77 yards passing, the lowest of his starting career in a game where he hasn't come off with injury.
Week 9: at Carolina Panthers
Week Nine: Green Bay Packers at Carolina Panthers – Game summary
Green Bay would travel to Charlotte to take on the undefeated Panthers. The Panthers would lead all game. The Panthers would lead 37–14 at one point. Green Bay would try to come back, but they wouldn't, as Carolina hung on for the win. Despite the loss, Aaron Rodgers would throw 4 touchdown passes with only 1 interception.
With the loss, the Packers fell to 6–2.
Week 10: vs. Detroit Lions
Week Ten: Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers – Game summary
Green Bay visits Minnesota to play the Vikings at TCF Bank Stadium
The Packers broke their three-game losing streak with a victory in Minnesota. Green Bay held Minnesota to two scores, including a 47-yard pass from Teddy Bridgewater to Kyle Rudolph for the game's first touchdown. The Vikings' extra point try went wide, and after three Green Bay field goals, the Packers closed out the first half with a TD pass from Rodgers to Cobb to take a 10-point lead. Adrian Peterson scored in the third quarter to bring the Vikings within six points of the Packers, but Green Bay got it back with a long pass from Rodgers to James Jones in the corner of the end zone. Two second-half Crosby field goals brought Green Bay's total to 30, and the Vikings relinquished their brief first-place standing in the NFC North back to the Pack.
On a night where the Packers would retire long-time star quarterback Brett Favre's jersey, Chicago would upset Green Bay, winning 17–13. The Packers had a chance near the end to steal the win from Chicago, but the Bears defense would force a turnover on downs to end the game.
In a rematch of "Dez Bryant's no catch game", the Packers rattled the depleted Cowboys 28–7. This was the first game Mike McCarthy took back play-calling duties after relinquishing it to Tom Clements.[28][29]
With the win, the Packers improved to 9–4.
Week 15: at Oakland Raiders
Week Fifteen: Green Bay Packers at Oakland Raiders – Game summary
In this game, Aaron Rodgers suffered, what many call, the worst game of his career, as the Packers got destroyed 38–8 in Glendale to a good Arizona Cardinals team. The Packers would commit 4 turnovers in this game and Rodgers would be sacked a career-high 9 times.
With the mistake-filled loss, the Packers fell to 10–5, and would have to face Minnesota the following week for the NFC North championship.
Week 17: vs. Minnesota Vikings
Week Seventeen: Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers – Game summary
The Packers looked to complete a 2–0 season sweep against the Vikings in order to win the division, but their hopes died late in the fourth quarter as Aaron Rodgers attempted another hail mary play that ended up being tipped by the Vikings defense, allowing Minnesota to win the division title for the first time since 2009 and preventing Green Bay from winning the division title for the fifth straight season. This was also the first time in franchise history that the Packers would go 0–3 at home against their division.
This loss dropped the Packers to 10–6, splitting the season series with Minnesota, 1–1.
The Packers would play in Washington for the first playoff game. The first half was all Redskins, as they jumped out to an 11–0 lead during the early point of the second quarter. However, the Packers would come back, and would outscore Washington 35-7 the rest of the game.
With the win, the Packers advanced to the Divisional Playoffs.
In a rematch of week 16's game, the Packers went back to Arizona for a showdown with the Cardinals. This game was a lot closer, as the Packers lost a shootout 26–20 in overtime. This game was wild, especially towards the end. In the fourth quarter, trailing by 7 with less than 2 minutes left, facing a 4th and 20, the Packers converted with Rodgers completing a 61-yard pass to receiver Jeff Janis to set the Packers up. Later, with 5 seconds left, Aaron Rodgers would throw another Hail Mary pass, this time to Janis, and to tie the game at 20. In overtime, the Cardinals would get the ball first. On the first play from scrimmage, Carson Palmer would complete a pass to Larry Fitzgerald, who was able to run through the Packers defense for a gain of 75 yards and be tackled at the Green Bay 4 yard line. Two plays later, the Cardinals would win it after Fitzgerald took it in on a flip from Palmer to end the game and send Arizona to the NFC Championship game.
With the loss, the Packers ended their season with an overall record of 11–7.
